Comments on: SNEAK PEEK: See Inside the Delta, NYC’s Very First Self-Powered Buildinghttp://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-voltaic-solaire-unveils-first-nyc-building-that-powers-itself/
Green Design and Innovation in New York CityTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:52:08 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.1By: BklynGuidehttp://inhabitat.com/nyc/photos-voltaic-solaire-unveils-first-nyc-building-that-powers-itself/comment-page-1/#comment-5069
Sat, 21 Jul 2012 05:05:39 +0000http://inhabitat.com/nyc/?p=38202#comment-5069Excuse me, but as someone who lives in the real world of New York, why would any tenant pay more that minimal rent for an apartment with half a kitchen, an obviously creaky folding stairway, and above all a commanding view of the 24/7 traffic jam known as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway? The three words every New York real estate agent loves most are “Location, Location, Location.” This site misses on all three points. How does breathing truck fumes all day qualify as “green living”?

If the developers had really wanted to test their model in New York, they would have sought a site — the Meat-Packing District, for instance — where their investment would have been much larger but the rewards even greater. Get a celebrity to buy a self-sufficient penthouse for several million dollars at a prominent address and your model is proven. (I am assuming luxury finishes and full compliance with the building code.)

Build an awkward apartment at an undesirable address and you will loose money, building code or no. The only people who would even consider this building are unlikely to meet the landlord’s financial standards. People want a comfortable, pleasant place to live, with peace, clean air, and easy access to public transit. Energy-efficiency is always a great idea, but it’s never a deal-maker.